


Kitty's Key

by TheNovelArtist



Series: Love Square Months 2019 [2]
Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Chat Noir being an idiot, F/M, Fluff, Marichat, Marichat May 2019, Marinette helping out, Romance, reluctantly
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-20
Updated: 2019-05-31
Packaged: 2020-03-08 14:48:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 16,852
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18896800
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheNovelArtist/pseuds/TheNovelArtist
Summary: When Chat Noir's "Brilliant Idea" gets him mobbed by fangirls, Marinette reluctantly helps him out.They say that if you feed a stray cat, he'll come back. But they say nothing about winning the key to his heart in the process.





	1. 1-3

**Author's Note:**

> I said I wasn't gonna do Marichat May, but... here I am XD.  
> For those following Cookies for a Monster, the chapter just didn't come together and I'm trying to work out all the kinks. I'll update it next week.

 

**_1\. No Powers_ **

This was probably considered a gross misuse of his powers. Honestly, he _should_ be going through this without the help of Plagg. But the fact was that he _did_ have Plagg and he _did_ have powers and it would be a _shame_ not to use them if he was ever in trouble.

And Adrien Agreste counted being the prize for some contest that would give the winner a photoshoot _and_ a date with him "being in trouble".

"This is a really bad idea."

"Well, it's either this or subjecting myself to my father's will," Adrien countered.

"Yeah," Plagg moaned. "But did you have to get _me_ involved."

"You can stand it."

"But I don't _want_ to have to help you run from rabid fangirls."

"You'll live."

He pouted.

"I'll give you the extra good camembert for a solid month."

Plagg froze mid-air, like Adrien knew he would. "The _really_ good stuff?"

"For the entire month of the contest," Adrien repeated.

Again, Plagg paused, likely pretending to mull it over when Adrien already knew the answer.

"Fine. But for the record, I still think it's a really stupid idea."

* * *

Marinette had to reread the post several times over. The Agrestes were hosting a contest that would give the winner a date with _Adrien Agreste_. Meaning Marinette _had_ to win. Except…

The contest was… odd.

_Attention fans! Do you want to win a date with Adrien Agreste? This month, you'll be given the chance to! Adrien has paired up with renowned superhero Chat Noir to hold the "key to his heart" on a chain around his neck. The first to get the key will be crowned the winner of this contest. Chat Noir will be posting clues to his whereabouts daily on social media for the next month. It will be your job to convince him to give you the key! Best of luck everyone!_

Marinette really couldn't believe this.

Her partner was an _idiot_.

"Tikki, as a superhero constantly battling a supervillain, in what world is posting your location daily a good idea?"

"I'm more shocked Plagg agreed to it," Tikki deadpanned.

Marinette groaned. "I swear, next time I see that cat, I'll… I'll…" Marinette growled. "I don't know, but he better watch it because the best way to skin a cat, as I see it, is to strip the idiot of his powers until he can use them responsibly."

* * *

**_2\. Greek_ **

It was five days into the contest, and Marinette got a sick and twisted sort of satisfaction out of watching Chat run from packs of rabid fangirls (and fanboys). It was like karma coming back to bite him. And Ladybug was perfectly content to watch Chat suffer for his stupidity.

Chat was offended at her enjoyment. She didn't particularly care.

However, with Ladybug being completely supportive of his choice and staying out of his way and offering zero help to him, he turned to the next best option. Which, apparently, was Marinette.

"Marinette, princess, _please,_ I beg of you. Let me stay here for the next bit. I need a break."

Marinette wanted to tell him no. She wanted to watch him suffer. Honestly, she should ask why he didn't just detransform in the nearest free spot, but as she looked at that gaudy gold key he held around his neck, she thought of what a golden opportunity she'd been presented with. "All right, kitty. I'll let you in this once."

"You're a lifesaver."

She let him in her room with the warning, "touch anything and your dead."

"How about 'break anything, and it will be replaced'?"

Marinette leveled him with a flat look.

"No touch. Okay."

With a roll of her eyes, Marinette headed back to her desk to work. "You know," she said, picking up her knitting and starting in on it again. "I have to wonder just what possessed you to pull this off in the first place. Like… you are the superhero of Paris. Why are you doing this?"

Chat's lips pursed tightly, his ears pinning flat back on his head. For a moment, it looked like Chat wasn't going to tell her.

"Let's just say… I know Adrien. And I've been in his shoes more than once. So when he told me about this contest his father was making him do and how he didn't want to do it, I thought I could help him out a bit. You know, distract his fans and keep the "key of his heart" away from the masses instead of it going out to some random fan he'd have to suffer through a date with, you know?"

Marinette grew somber at that realization. "I guess I never thought of that."

Chat nodded. "So I know it's stupid of me—Ladybug's given me nothing but crap about it, though I'm starting to agree with her—but I did it to help him out, ok?"

The only thing Marinette could do was nod in understanding. Yes, she still thought it stupid, but… when he put it that way, she could understand why he was pulling this stupid stunt. "So," she began, "You're close to Adrien?"

Chat stiffened. "Well," he said, rubbing at the back of his neck. "I mean… we actually, I guess… in a way… kinda close."

Marinette quirked a brow. "What on earth is that supposed to mean?"

His ear twitched and his lips pursed. And then he shot her a smile she knew was practiced. "You know, Hades, I come to your realm to get away from people, not to face an inquisition."

Marinette had to blink a few times; partly at the sudden change in subject, partly because, "Hades?"

"Yeah," he said. "I mean, you're obviously Hades because I'm Persephone hiding away in your realm because you love me so much—"

"I will kick you out; watch me."

* * *

**_3\. Kittens_ **

"Hey Marinette."

"Yeah, Chat?"

"Have you ever thought about what you want for the future?"

Marinette froze. This was the fourth time that she'd let him in to escape the pack of feral fans ravaging the city for him. Sure, he was kinda close to Marinette. Even before this contest, this wasn't the first time she'd let him in to hang out. Not by a longshot. But the question still surprised her. "What brought that on?"

"I'm curious."

"As to what my future entails?"

"Kinda."

"Why?"

"Because…" He paused winding the ball of yarn—she had to keep him busy somehow and he was surprisingly good at it—and looked at her. "Because I've been thinking over my own future a lot lately. And not fantasizing, but actually, really, realistically thinking—"

"That's trouble," Marinette quipped, mostly because she wasn't sure how to handle just how serious Chat was.

He glared at her. Considering he didn't crack a smile, this was a very serious topic he was approaching.

Blushing, she cleared her throat. "I'm sorry. Continue."

He sighed. "No, Forget it. It's—"

"Chat, I was kidding," Marinette said, now regretting teasing him at all. "Tell me."

He regarded her for a moment. "I've been really thinking about the future and all it entails. And just…wondering if I'm thinking about the right things or thinking about enough."

 _And that's why he wanted to know mine. To compare._ Marinette realized. She looked back down at the project in her hands. "Yeah, I've thought it over. A lot. I've known what I've wanted for the past three—or is it four?—four years."

She had to pause. Had it really been four years since she decided she was going to marry Adrien? She was seventeen now, so she supposed so. "I want to be a fashion designer. I want to get married—even have a guy in mind—and have two or three kids. Two boys, one girl, preferably. I have the names picked out. And a hamster. I want a hamster."

Chat looked at her wide-eyed, the yarn forgotten in his hands. "You've really thought this through."

"Yeah," she said, giving him a smile. "I have."

Chat turned back to winding the yarn. "I didn't know you were seeing someone."

Marinette cringed. "Well… I said in mind. I'm not… really seeing him."

"Oh?"

"Yeah," she said. "Its… complicated." And the most complicated thing about it was that she didn't know how Chat kept sneaking into her mind and heart and challenging if Adrien was truly the man for her. "So," she began, desperate to direct the conversation away from her, "what do _you_ want for the future, Chat?"

Chat paused, and his expression fell. "You know, I sometimes think that I'm not asking for too much, and then other times, I feel like I'm asking the world."

"Why?" she pressed. "What do you want?"

"A lot," he said. "Hawkmoth to be defeated."

 _Yeah. You, me, and everyone in Paris._ "He will be; don't worry. You and Ladybug will catch him."

"Hopefully," Chat said. "I want to catch him soon so that there won't be any villain for me and Ladybug to fight. My fingers are crossed that when that happens, she'll allow a reveal and then we'll start dating and get married and have a house full of kids. More than one, at least. And… I kinda want a hamster, too."

She froze, but her heart was skipping like a schoolgirl. _Knock it off!_ "W-what's wrong with that?" Marinette asked, hoping her voice came out steadily. "Wanting to be married and settle down and have kittens?"

"Because… I don't know what _she_ wants. "

 _It's exactly what she wants,_ her traitorous mind thought. And then somewhere in the back of her mind chimed up a little, excited _will you give it to me?_

She barely resisted the urge to slap her cheeks. _Remember Adrien!_

"Like, does she want kids at all? Because that's really important to me and I don't know what I'll do if she doesn't," Chat continued, oblivious to Marinette's inner turmoil. "But if she does—and I hope she does—does she want to be a stay-at-home mom? Meaning that it will be on me to fully provide for my family. Don't get me wrong; I have _no_ issue whatsoever in doing that. But I have to plan ahead to make sure I chose a career that will provide well for them as well as allow me to be with them as much as I can because I want to be a dad who's involved and all. But what if Ladybug wants to have a career and work? Which my guess is she would because of her personality, but I don't want to assume or anything. Then I'm allowed to choose a job that will let me be home with my kids more and help them with homework and take them to sports and events and all that."

To say Marinette was speechless was an understatement. "You…" she swallowed, trying to get her mouth to work again. "It sounds like you've thought a lot about the future and, well, your little kittens."

He gave a bittersweet smile. "I want to be a dad," he said. "And I want to be a good one."

"You will be," Marinette said. She felt confident in that statement. "I can tell. From the sounds of it, you'll have a pretty good future ahead of you."

His shoulders relaxed, and his smile turned genuine. "Thanks, Marinette. I appreciate it."

"You're welcome, kitty."


	2. 4-6

**_4\. Birthday_ **

Marinette really didn't want to use the fact she was Ladybug to find out where Chat was before he posted. That was cheating and she wouldn't do that. However, if she happened to see Chat running across the rooftops, likely to his spot for the day, then it was fair game.

She followed the cat as closely as she could, ending up at a little café with outdoor seating. He was under the awning, wearing a green hoodie and sunglasses and a hat over his ears.

Marinette smirked at his disguise. Clever cat.

She marched over to him, but he didn't see. He was on his baton, probably hinting out his location to whoever was following his account.

By the time he put it away, Marinette was sitting at the other end of the table.

It was clear he wasn't expecting it. "H-hey!" he said, smile quickly replacing the shock on his expression. "Catch me early, did you?"

"I saw you leaping on the rooftops," she said. "Want me to get you something?"

He waved it off. "Nah, I'm fine. It won't be long before I'm swarmed and can't eat anything anyway."

"Fair enough," she said. "Nice disguise, by the way."

He huffed a laugh. "It's my hope that it will prolong the inevitable swarm just a little bit."

She hummed. "Maybe, but I wouldn't hold my breath. Your fangirls seem persistent."

"They are," he said. "And they're really Adrien's fangirls. And _Adrien's_ fangirls are a whole other level of nuts."

"I wouldn't know."

"Now you do. But in the meantime, while we wait for the swarm to appear, let's talk about you."

"Me?" Marinette asked, eyebrow quirking in amusement.

"Yeah," he said. "Let's talk about you and the fact you planned a future with a guy you aren't seeing."

She already didn't like where this was going. "You planned a future with Ladybug and you aren't seeing her."

Chat froze, his mouth open. "Touché," he admitted. "But I'm pursuing her. Are you pursuing him?"

"Why so interested all of a sudden?"

"Because you're an amazing girl and I want to see you happy."

Marinette pretended that she wasn't affected by those words.

"So, who's the guy?"

With a smirk, she put her finger to her lips. "It's a secret."

"You're no fun," he pouted. "Come on. Why? You planned a future with him. Are you ashamed?"

Heat flooded her cheeks at that. "Wha—No! I'm not ashamed."

"Then tell me!"

"No," she defended. "No, it's just… I don't want people getting the wrong idea."

Chat quirked his head to the side. "Wrong idea? What about?"

Marinette severely regretted her decision to come here. "Well… because he's kinda famous and I don't want people thinking I just like him for that reason."

"You don't strike me as the kind of person who'd care about that," Chat easily dismissed. "So, tell me, who's the guy?"

"It's still embarrassing. I've had a crush on this guy for years and still nothing's happened."

"So do something," Chat said as though it was obvious. "I'd even help out. But I can't do that unless you tell me who this guy is."

Marinette looked at him. Even though his eyes were covered with glasses, she knew them well enough to know that curiosity filled his green gaze. "You're not gonna let it go, are you?"

"Nope," he said with a smirk. "And if you don't tell me today, I'll bug you about it tomorrow and the next day and the next until you tell me so I can make sure my princess actually pursues her prince charming and lives happily ever after."

She wanted to slam her head on the table. Several times. Hard. But she knew for a _fact_ he wouldn't let it go. So, she reached out and took the key on the chain on his neck and brought it up to show him.

Slowly, his smile slowly faded as realization dawned on him.

She dropped the key and fell back into her chair.

"Really, princess?" he asked, voice full of disbelief.

"I know," she sighed. "I'm so pathetic. He's got a million and one fangirls and here I am hoping for a chance. I can barely talk to him without stuttering. And then don't even get me started on all the stupid things I've done around him and all my stupid attempts to confess that ended in failures. You know, the one that hurts the most is the scarf I made him."

"Scarf?" he asked.

She nodded. "I made him a scarf for his fourteenth birthday, and I tried to give it to him but I failed so bad. And I don't know what happened, but he somehow thought that his dad gave him the scarf, and you should have seen how happy he was. I couldn't take that away from him! And my friend Alya—you know the ladyblogger—she called me out on it and so I just said that I was happy for him like it wasn't slowly killing me inside because I was so embarrassed and didn't know what to do."

Chat was frozen, not saying a word as he stared at Marinette.

"There he is!"

Immediately, Chat and Marinette looked toward the noise, only to see a pack of fangirls running across the street.

"Sorry, Princess but—"

"That's your cue to run," she finished with a grin. "Good luck, kitty. You're gonna need it."

* * *

**_5\. Cooking/Baking_ **

Marinette was going to get the key. Chat would make sure of it. But he wanted to drag this out a little longer so it would seem less suspicious than loosing the key before two weeks had passed.

Though, he couldn't deny he was so very done with this whole contest and giving the key to Marinette would solve all the problems.

As it were, he was very, _very_ done from running away from one Lila Rossi all day long.

He was off the clock for the day, and henceforth, he was knocking on Marinette's skylight to beg for a hiding place for the rest of the night destressing.

She opened the hatch soon enough. "Long day?" she asked with a smug grin.

"Very. Now, let me hide."

She giggled but let him in. "How big was the crowd today?"

"Small," he said. "It consisted of one very persistent Lila Rossi."

Her face grew serious. "Oh, you poor cat."

He put on his best pout and nodded.

She took his cheeks in her hands, and he was more than happy to lean into them. "Papa and I did a little experimenting down in the kitchen today," she said. "Would tasting some experiments make you feel better?"

"Yes," he said automatically.

She patted his cheeks. "Then I'll be right back."

While she was gone, he settled himself comfortably on the chaise. He loved hanging out at Marinette's house, but he couldn't help but obsess over the fact she had a crush on him. For years. That was the part that got to him. For years, she'd had her life planned out with him already. She'd always been there, and he was proud of the fact they were friends, yet he'd missed every sign that she was interested in more.

Before he could obsess too much over what he had to do concerning her heart, she returned with a plate of goodies.

"Okay," she said, sitting down on an open spot on her chaise, "You get these under the condition you tell me which one is the best, okay?"

As Chat looked at Marinette's smiling face, one filled with pride over her work with glittering blue eyes, he couldn't help but wonder, would it really be so bad if she did like him?

* * *

**_6\. Adoption/Family_ **

He couldn't help it.

He was driving Plagg crazy, but he couldn't help it.

Adrien stared at the key that Chat Noir wore, remembering the day Marinette reached for it when asked who her crush was.

She liked him. She wanted a family with him.

And since then, he really couldn't help but think about what a family with her would be like. Normally, it was his lady that he tried to picture having a family with, but with all the teasing she'd given him lately, he was honestly slightly tired of it. And Marinette…

Marinette wanted a family with _him_.

What would that be like?

She wanted to be a fashion designer and have three little kids running around, two boys and one girl. She wasn't the kind to like large, gaudy places so Adrien imagined what a small house would be like to live in with a table set for five and dinner on the stove while the kids played chase throughout the house. He'd come home from work and say hi to his three kittens and ask them all about their day and then play with them until dinner was ready.

After that, he'd help them get ready for bed and kiss their heads as she tucked them in for the night before coaxing miss night owl away from her work and to bed with him.

He blushed hard at that thought.

Maybe that was too idealistic of a scene, but honestly, with the way his heart was racing and cheeks burning and the back of his mind was chanting "want, want, want," he realized that maybe a life like that really would be a dream come true.


	3. 7-9

**_7\. Roommates_ **

"You know," Marinette said, looking at the cat superhero that was face down on her chaise, "you come here so often, someone's going to notice."

"We'll just say we're roommates," he returned, his voice muffled from the pillow his face was pressed into.

"Then Hawkmoth will think he knows where you live, but since you don't, you'll actually be putting my life in danger for no reason."

Chat groaned.

She smirked. "You know that this is all your fault and I really shouldn't feel bad for you."

"I know," he mumbled. "I regret this."

"Well, as long as you're aware of your own stupidity, I am settled."

"My roommate is heartless."

"If she _was_ heartless, she wouldn't let you be her roommate."

Chat pulled his head out of the pillow to look at her. "Touché."

* * *

**_8\. Mittens for Kittens_ **

Marinette was loathe to admit that she looked forward to when Chat visited. Normally, he was pouty and frustrated with his life decision to help Adrien in this endeavor. But today…

Chat was not happy.

"I injured someone today."

Marinette's eyes opened wide as she yanked Chat down into her bedroom. "What do you mean 'you injured someone'?"

"It was an accident, okay?" he was quick to explain, though he looked half-frantic. "I was mobbed, and a girl almost got the key. And then when I reached for the key to grab it, ready to run for it, I scratched her."

Marinette bit her lip. She knew Chat was always super careful when it came to his claws. Never had she gotten scratched as Ladybug. But considering how he was looking at them now, he was loathing the fact they were a design feature in his suit.

She reached for his hands. "It was an accident, Chat."

"Yeah, but she started crying, and there was a mess to deal with, and now, I'm sure my name is being slandered all over the media."

"Then Ladybug will clean it up," she countered, swearing to herself that she'd check the news and social media later and do some damage control. If she had to call up Alya for an interview, she would. Alya probably would be thrilled. "Don't worry about it, Chat. It wasn't your fault. You've been mobbed by girls day in and day out for weeks."

"I know," he whined, his ears flat on his head. "But that doesn't make me feel any better about it. I already sent out an apology on my social media page."

"Then that's good enough," she said, giving Chat's hands a reassuring squeeze. "It will be fine. She'll get over it. Lesson learned that you don't go grabbing for things that aren't yours. However…" Marinette stared at the key hanging from Chat's neck. "The girls are only getting more brazen, it seems."

"Yeah, I know."

"So," she said. "Are you ever going to give that key out? Or should I make you mittens to cover your claws, kitten?"

He froze. "What?"

"Yeah, you know, so you aren't paranoid about hurting anyone else. Because I know you. You're going to wallow in your guilt a couple of days before being able to get over it."

He made a choking nose, something akin to surprise and speechlessness. "Y-you seem to have me down."

Her smile faded slightly. Because he was right. Ladybug knew him this well. Marinette shouldn't yet. They hadn't 'known' each other that long.

She did her best to pass it off with a grin and a shrug. "I notice things. So, mittens?"

He paused, looking at her. "How about," he began, reaching for the chain on his neck. "I just solve all our problems and give you this."

It was her turn to freeze as she watched Chat take the key from his neck and hand it out to her.

"He'd be lucky to go on a date with you," Chat said, a gentle grin on his face.

Despite wanting the key more than anything, she was somehow hesitant to take it. "Really?"

"Why wouldn't he be?" Chat challenged. "You're a super incredible girl, Marinette. Kind and sweet. He could use a girl like you in his life." He took her hand in his, dropping the key on her palm before curling her fingers around it. "You should use the opportunity to tell him how you feel."

"Y-you think?" Marinette said, her mind not functioning at full capacity because _what was happening?_

"Yeah," he said. "You should. And I'll come back to haunt you if you don't, okay?"

She swallowed. "Okay."

"Good." With that, he stood, and bowed. "Until next time, I bid you adieu. Congratulations on winning the contest."

He scampered up out of her hatch before she could say another word. "Good bye!" she called, her mind slowly kicking back into gear.

She opened her hand, looking down at the key. The golden key to Adrien's heart.

She had the golden key to Adrien's heart.

She was going to go on a date with Adrien.

While she should be dancing around the room squealing in excitement over the prospect of going on a date with the love of her life, she couldn't help but remember the black superhero that made it all possible. The one with a crush on her.

"Thank you, kitty," she said, looking out her window into the Parisian sunset. "I really appreciate it.

"But," she continued, her heart suddenly getting heavy. "I'm also sorry that this is going to break your heart."

* * *

**_9\. Ice Skating_ **

Adrien knew how the date with Marinette went. He had been excited for it.

Except, he had been anxiously awaiting her confession all night that never came.

Hence why he was bugging her as Chat.

And yes, bugging was the right term.

"Get out."

"No way, _purr_ -incess," he purred, smug smile on his face. "Not until you give me all the details on the date. Particularly, how you confessed to him."

"Shame you're not gonna get it."

"Sure I am," he said, his smile growing. "I warned you that you better tell me or else I was gonna come back to haunt you."

"It's been four days, cat."

"And I still haven't heard that you've confessed," he sang.

She growled at him. Like a cat. Actually, literally growled. "You're skating on thin ice, cat."

He scoffed, not put off by her attitude at all. "I'll take my chances."


	4. 10-12

**_10\. Victorian AU_ **

"What are you making there, princess?"

Marinette sighed. "Remind me, why do I still let you in my room if the contest has been over for two weeks now?"

He smirked at her from his place lounging on the chaise. "Because you love me."

"Love is a _strong_ word, Chat."

"Well, that's the only explanation you leave your hatch open."

He had her there.

"So, what are you making?"

"A costume piece," Marinette said. "There's an online contest hosted by a big-name theater director and so I entered. It was open to everyone, but there were different categories. I'm in the student category."

"You should have gone for the professional."

"No, I couldn't do that."

"Yeah, you could have," Chat said, "But too late now, I guess. Anyway, you still haven't answered what that pretty pink thing is on your mannequin."

She sighed. "It's a Victorian Era dress."

"Oh?"

"For a princess."

Chat smirked. "So, does it get to be worn by a princess?"

"What do you think?" she deadpanned.

"So you're _not_ gonna wear it?"

Wide-eyed, she stared at him. His smirk widened as he waggled his eyebrows. "You'd look stunning in it, princess."

At that, Marinette blushed red and turned her back to him. "Stupid cat."

He chuckled. "By the way, _princess_ ," he purred. "You never did tell me why you didn't confess to prince charming."

Marinette froze.

"Because I heard from him that the date went really well," Chat pressed.

"It did," she admitted. That was the truth. She didn't stutter too much and managed to keep her composure most of the night. Adrien looked as handsome as ever. And she was going to confess.

Until he dropped a cat pun.

He looked at her with this dorky grin and she knew… knew her heart was no longer settled on him. It was torn between him,

And a stupid superhero in black leather.

* * *

**_11\. Mask Ball_ **

For the life of him, he was determined to get the answer. She'd shut him down time and time again and now Adrien had had enough. He was going to find out once and for all why Marinette never admitted her crush.

"Chat," she whined, looking at him from her skylight. "It's late."

"It's nine. Tell me you aren't usually up _way_ later than that."

She just glared at him.

"So," he said. "I have a proposition."

"A proposition?" she deadpanned.

"Yup," he said with a smirk. "You are going to put on that dress you've been working on for the past week. And then I'm going to take you out dancing."

She did not look amused.

Which… he expected, if he was honest. "And what I'm going to do is take pictures of you to submit—"

"No," she quickly said. "It looks fine on the mannequin."

"But mannequins don't show how things _move_ ," he argued.

She opened her mouth to argue but slowly shut it.

"Come on, princess," he said, knowing he was close to winning.

She stared at him a moment longer. "It's nighttime."

"I know a place with killer lighting."

"At nighttime," she asked, skeptically.

"Yup." It wasn't like he'd just spent the last hour hauling mass amounts of lighting equipment up to an empty rooftop.

She pursed her lips.

His grin widened.

"If you're lying," she said. "I am _never_ letting you in again."

"Good thing I'm not lying."

With a sigh, Marinette began ducking back down to her room. "No peeking!" she warned, right before the hatch slammed shut.

He would say he wouldn't dream of it…

But…

He'd fallen for a really beautiful woman. Maybe one day he wouldn't demand such self-control. You know, after rings and vows were exchanged.

Would she be okay if he wore a white suit? Maybe at a beach wedding? He loved the thought of a beach wedding. Sometime in the summer. She was probably more of a spring bride, but would she be okay with a summer wedding? And if he could convince her to have it at the beach, he'd definitely want to wear a white suit. Because he loved black and could pull it off, but there was something about a white suit—

"Okay."

Chat startled at her voice and turned around—

Only for all the air to leave his lungs.

She shrugged, a dusting of pink covering her cheeks. "I… need help lacing up the back."

He cleared his throat, hoping his ability to speak returned. "Of course, Marinette."

He was going to die. A woman with a cute little blush was not allowed to ask him to lace up the back of a soft pink dress that highlighted her skin tone perfectly and expect Chat to survive. But, he was a professional. He could swallow his discomfort.

Of course, all the skin at her neckline being exposed as it was made things really difficult. Why? Because he really wanted to put his lips to her perfectly soft skin right at the junction of her neck and shoulder.

Why now? All of a sudden.

His guess was as good as any.

Mind barely functioning, he was able to pull the laces tight to her form, one that seemed smaller than usual. "Done."

She took a step to reach the gloves he didn't remember her setting on her patio chair, then slid them up her arms to just past her elbows. Now, clothed in the full ensemble, she spun for him. "Well, what do you think?"

He thought he was going to keel over any second because hot damn, Marinette could pull off Victorian Era well. But he just couldn't help but notice the way her waist was cinched in, and the way her breasts were rounded above the lower neckline of the dress … "You're in a corset, aren't you?"

"Yes," she sighed, tossing her head up to the sky in irritation. "And it's not comfortable but it's period accurate. How could you tell?"

He would take that reason to his grave. "Just a guess. Now, are you ready princess?"

She opened her mouth, but then snapped it shut as her eyes got wide. "No," she whined. "I forgot the mask."

"You made a mask?"

She nodded. "And it's on my desk, but do you know how hard it is to move around in this thing?"

"I got it," Chat said with a smile. "Be back up in a second."

He slipped down into her room without any struggle and easily found the mask she was talking about. One that was as pink as her dress decorated with a ribbon and large, white feather.

However, considering he didn't sneeze once on the way back up to her, it had to be synthetic. Thankfully.

When he got back up to the balcony, she wasn't paying attention and instead looking out into the Parisian night. So, he decided to surprise her, coming up behind her and putting the mask over her eyes.

She gasped but quickly settled, letting him tie the mask off behind her head. "Is that too tight?"

"No," she said, her voice whispery.

"Then, shall we go, princess?"

She gave him a smile that was going to knock him to his knees if he wasn't careful. She looked like she was about to walk into a masquerade, and he wanted nothing more than to be the one escorting her. "We shall."

* * *

Chat had an entire studio set up for her.

"How the heck did you get all this up here? No. How did you get any of this, period? This is high quality stuff."

"My secret, princess." With that, he pulled up a camera and snapped a photo before she was ready. "However," he said, lowering the camera to reveal a smug smirk, "I'd happily divulge if a certain someone tells me why she didn't confess to Adrien."

She frowned, her cheeks heating up.

He smirked. "A secret for a secret," he sang-songed before taking another picture of her.

"Chat, let me, like, pose or something."

"Ah, but I'm here to capture your candid beauty," he purred.

She snorted. "Stop it!"

"Never!"

It took a while for them to calm down and become serious, but eventually, Chat began actually posing her.

"Now, look in that direction, and stand confidently. Channel your inner Ladybug."

She couldn't keep the smile off her face. Oh, if he only knew. "My inner Ladybug?"

"Exude confidence, Ma Minette."

She whipped her head back towards him, her heart full out missing a beat at the nickname. "T-that's new," she stuttered.

Chat looked like that cat that got the cream. "I like it. I'm using it."

She really didn't know how to respond.

Eventually, Chat claimed he had enough pictures. "We'll put them on your computer and you can see how much you like them all."

"Hopefully, you're half as good a photographer as you are a director."

"Trust me, Ma Minette," he said with a wink and making her heart miss another beat. "I know my way around a camera."

She shook her head. "Well, it was all very kind of you, Chat. Do you need any help cleaning up?"

"Oh? You think the night is over?"

Marinette quirked her head at that. "What do you mean?"

"You don't think I'm going to let you go without dancing with you, do you? You look like you could be the belle of a ball. I've already stolen you away and can do what I want with you. And I want a dance."

_Be still her heart._ What on earth happened to her dork of a partner because there was a very suave young man in skin-tight black leather standing before her, words as sweet as honey falling off his tongue. "W-well," she stuttered. "I… I suppose you can have once dance."

His smile was wide and sweet and _happy._ Oh, so happy. She loved that grin and the soft look in his eyes that joy caused. "One is all I ask for.

* * *

**_12\. Post-Reveal (actually, more of a 'Reveal' instead of 'Post-Reveal, but you guys aren't gonna complain. XD)_ **

There was soft music playing from a speaker he'd brought with him. He'd selected the song carefully, having mulled it over all day. Now, she was in his arms, swaying to the slow melody.

He had to assure her that they didn't have to waltz. She'd been adamant on her inability to dance even though he knew it was a lie. However, he much preferred the closeness of simply being together, swaying to the music.

She'd taken off her mask halfway through the photoshoot, allowing him now to see her face clearly. Once again, he was struck by just how beautiful of a woman she was, and how lucky he was that she was in love with him.

"Are you ever going to tell me why you never told Adrien you had a crush on him?"

She groaned. "Why are you so persistent?"

"Because you had the perfect opportunity to tell the love of your life that you had a crush on him, but you didn't. Why? I'm very confused. I set it up for you and everything."

She sighed, remaining silent for several notes before speaking. "I was scared."

"You chickened out? Really?"

"Yes… and no," she said. "Not… like that."

"You are making _no_ sense," he said, feeling more lost than ever.

"It doesn't make sense to me either," she whined. "Because I love Adrien. He's just… so amazing. But when he—" She abruptly stopped.

Chat stopped dancing, taking a step back so he could see her face. Her lip was between her teeth and she looked downright embarrassed.

"But then," she continued. "I was reminded of… of another guy. One I swore I wouldn't fall for… and… I don't know. Kinda… fell for a little anyway."

Adrien's heart clenched. What was his luck that he had to fall for two girls who were in love with other men better than him? He pretended his heart wasn't being crushed into pieces. "And… you didn't tell Adrien… because there's another guy."

She looked at him, her eyes locking on his. Next thing he knew, she was tearing up.

"Princess." He quickly pulled her into his arms, cocooning her against his chest and rubbing her back. "Don't cry."

"I'm so confused," she said between the tears.

He was, too. Mostly because he was struggling to weed through what the selfish part of him wanted to say and what the logical thing to say was. "It's okay," he said. "It's okay, Marinette."

"No, it's not," she whined.

He sighed but continued rubbing her back while she choked out a few tears.

"Listen," he said, once she'd stopped crying and he'd had a moment to collect his thoughts. "I know it's hard, but you should make a choice and go for it. It sounds like this new guy caught you off guard."

"He did," she said. "We were supposed to be just friends."

"But you fell for him anyway?"

She nodded against his shoulder. "And the worst part," she continued, "is that I know he loves me. He's said so for years, and I've just kept brushing him off because we're friends and that's all, and now I have the chance to be with the guy I've crushed on for years, and I can't help it but think of _him._ "

Well, crap. Adrien really didn't stand a chance now, did he?

"Then you should go to that guy," Chat said, even though his heart was breaking up at the prospect of loosing both girls he'd ever fallen for. What crappy luck. "And tell him. From the sounds of it, if he'd been confessing for a while, the guy will probably fly to the moon and back on happiness."

She sniffed, wiping her eyes and smearing the little make-up she had on. "I'm nervous to, though."

"Why?" Chat challenged. "You have a guy who you know loves you and won't reject you waiting for you to return his affections. All you have to do is say 'hey, I actually like you, too' and _boom!_ Done. Easy as cake. You don't have to face any rejection like you would have with Adrien with you sticking your neck out on the line. He did the hard part, and now you just have to press the big, fat 'accept' button and you're golden. You're the luckiest fricking girl on the planet."

She looked up at him, her eyes shining with something.

And that was the moment he realized he was getting a little too passionate. He took a breath to steady himself. "Sorry," he said. "Maybe I… was—"

"I'm sorry," she said. "It… it sounds like… like I hit a nerve with that."

He took a breath. "Maybe a little," he said. "I'm sorry."

She wrapped her arms up over his shoulders. "Don't be," she assured. "You have every right to be angry about that."

"No, I don't," he said. "As much as I want to. She has the right to fall in love with who she wants to. And if she doesn't want me… then honestly good for her."

Her grip tightened. "Why do you say that?"

"Because I'm obviously an unlucky cat," he said. "I trust that she would find a fantastic guy, and if she sees him more as marriage material than me, then good for her."

"That's not true, mon minou, don't you dare—"

And that's when each of them froze. Marinette went rigid in his arms, but Chat…

Chat's heart was racing a mile a minute.

_No. No way. No. It's coincidence she called me_ Mon Minou. _No. She can't be. I'm not that lucky. I'm not…_

"My Lady?"


	5. 13-15

**_13\. Villain_ **

Marinette's heart stopped. _Crap._

"My Lady?"

Her mind wasn't functioning enough to answer. Instead, she was staring up at Chat, his look hopeful.

She opened her mouth, hoping she would somehow be able to respond. "Chat—"

_Boom!_

Both Marinette and Chat whipped around toward the sound. A sound that, this late, could only be an akuma.

Chat's hold on her tightened. "Damn," he grumbled.

Marinette was thinking the same thing.

"My lady," he said. "Marinette, if I'm wrong about you being Ladybug, then I'll take you back home. But that looks like a nasty akuma, and do you want to waste the time?"

No. No, she didn't. "I…" She swallowed the lump in her throat. Chat was looking down at her expectedly, and even though she wanted to deny it, she knew she couldn't She was caught. "I can't believe I let that slip."

His smile widened in excitement, and his grip on her tightened. "You've had me going for years. I always thought you looked like her, but how you talked about… well, yourself… I wouldn't have suspected otherwise. But you calling me _mon minou_ , that felt far too familiar for me to let go."

She blushed. "I had to keep you going, you silly cat. It's called a 'secret' identity for a reason."

"Well, cat's out of the bag, now," he said. "However, as much as I want to talk—"

"We have an akuma," Marinette finished, pushing away from him and stepping out of his hold. "Don't look?" she asked, suddenly feeling self-conscious.

He nodded, turning his back to her.

"Tikki," she said, calling out the kwami that had hidden in the folds of her skirt. "Spots on."

A flash of pink illuminated the night, leaving Ladybug in place of Marinette.

Thankfully, that meant she could move without a corset.

Chat still didn't move or turn to look at her. And she couldn't help but be drawn to him.

She stepped up to him, wrapping her arms around his chest and leaning against his back.

"My lady," he purred, grabbing her hands from his chest and pulling them up to his lips to leave lingering kisses on her knuckles. "We have a lot to talk about."

"Yeah," she agreed. "After the akuma."

She could tell how reluctant he was to let her go, but he did. "After the akuma."

* * *

**_14\. Angst_ **

After dealing with the akuma, Chat followed Ladybug back to her place. Ladybug landed on her balcony just as her timer gave out and she transformed back into Marinette.

She caught Tikki first, then glanced back at where Chat was balanced on her balcony railing and staring at her in awe. "Wow," he said on a breath. "That… I've dreamed of seeing that."

Her cheeks were warm, and her heart skipped excitedly. "Come in, Chat. You wanted to talk?"

He cleared his throat. "Yeah. Yeah, I did."

She wiggled her way down the hatch, the corset making it a little more difficult than usual. Next, she shimmed down from her bed to put Tikki next to her stash of cookies. Only then did she turn back to Chat.

"So," he began, plopping down at the end of her chaise. "A… a friend who confesses all the time, huh?"

A blush flamed her cheeks. "Yeah."

"Bugaboo—"

"Kitty, I just…" She paused, words failing her. "I don't know. And I know what you want. You made it clear. I just… You… and Adrien. And I just don't know and—"

Suddenly, he was close to her, his arms engulfing her in a hug before her ramble could continue. "Shh," he said, holding her against his chest, moving her head rest against his shoulder. "You're making this way harder than it needs to be."

She scoffed, her body betraying her and sinking into his embrace. "Of course, you'd say that. Now that you know who I am, you're going to say I should fall for you and forget Adrien—"

"I never said that," he interrupted.

"Yeah, but that's what you want," she said. "And I just don't know, kitty. I just can't… I can't make a decision right now."

He rolled his head towards hers, rubbing his cheek against her temple. "You don't have to."

"What do you mean? Of course, I have to. And it sucks and—"

"I mean let me tell you who I am and—"

"And you think that will make it all better?" she challenged.

"Yes. Plagg, C—"

She slapped a hand over his mouth. "Chat," she said. "Stop it. Seeing you as whoever you are isn't going to make anything easier."

He nodded fervently behind her hand, his brow drawn down as though to firmly argue against her.

She sighed. "Chat, I'm serious. Don't expect me just to make a decision that easily. I don't know because on one hand giving up on Adrien feels like giving up on a dream I'm not ready to give up on. Not when he's amazing and kind and sweet and and and so many other things. And then I have you and… I just can't let you go and… whatever I chose is going to alter everything and I just… need time, okay."

His entire posture slackened, and his eyes looked like half the life had been sucked out of them. Eventually, he gave her a nod. Only then did she remove her hand from his mouth.

They stared at each other in silence for a moment before Marinette turned away first. "Do you need anything else, Chat?"

He sighed. "I… I suppose not. Just know that one day, I'll reveal my identity to you."

"It doesn't matter," she countered. "I don't care who you are. I know you. It would be nice having a name and a face, but I don't need it. And right now, I don't want it."

"You might be surprised, my lady, of just how important it is."

She shrugged. "We'll see about that. And…" Her expression fell. "I'm sorry that I'm running your heart through the wringer again, Chat. I don't mean to play with your heart. Really. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Chat said, his smile genuine. "The way I see it, I really can't lose."

She scoffed. "So cocky."

"This time, yes, absolutely."

She sighed. "We'll see, Chat. But for now, I think you should go clean up the photography set. Or, if you give Tikki a moment, I can help you."

"Nah," he dismissed. "I can get it. I took it up there."

"For me. The least I can do is help you."

He waved a hand of dismissal. "Princess, don't worry about it. I'll clean it up. But before I go…" His smile grew cattish as his grip on her arms tightened, pulling her in closer to him once again. "Do you need help out of that dress?"

Marinette glared at him, her heart racing at the insinuation and her cheeks—and neck and chest—flooding with fire. However, as she reached back for the ribbons, she remembered just how hard it was to get the laces to loosen. Meaning she was having to face the music and ask for help. She turned her back to him, pulling her loose hair over her shoulder and admitted, "Yes, please."

He chuckled, a warm sound she hated that affected her so much. "As you wish, _ma princesse._ "

A wave of dizziness swept over her at his tone, one deep and possessive. It suddenly felt hard to breath, and she instantly blamed the corset. She would not admit that Chat had that affect on her.

Her mind couldn't handle it right now.

She felt the ties on her back loosen, even though the corset was still plenty constricting.

"Need any more help?" Chat purred, his lips suddenly very close to the skin of her shoulder.

Her lungs were suddenly empty of air, and she gulped to fill them again. "No," she said. "Thank you." _Now, go away!_

"As you wish." But before he did, she felt his lips press against the base of her neck.

She gasped, her eyes shutting on their own accord.

And suddenly, he was gone.

By the time Marinette pulled herself together enough to turn around, her room was empty.

On shaky legs, she walked over to her chaise and collapsed on it. That stupid cat. She could feel the tears well up in her eyes. How dare he make this hard on her.

* * *

**_15\. Found_ **

Adrien was on cloud. Fricking. Nine.

"I found her, Plagg! I _found_ her! Marinette… Ladybug…" With a dramatic sigh, he flopped over on his bed.

Plagg was less than amused, instead voting to hide in his sock bed and ignore Adrien all together.

"And she's torn between me and _me_!" he continued. "I just… How lucky am I? I get the two best girls in the world who's actually one girl, and she loves both of me, and this is a fairytale! Don't wake me up."

"Just don't wake up the whole neighborhood in the process," Plagg grumbled.

Adrien shot a scowl at the kwami, not that Plagg was paying attention.

However, that did remind him of one little issue.

Actually, a big one.

What was he going to do if she wouldn't let him reveal himself to her?

He could save her so much heartache. So much pain. She was struggling when he left her, over whether to chose him or him. And he wanted so badly to tell her that she didn't have to choose. He wanted to save her that pain.

But just how he was going to force her to listen, he didn't yet know. His bug was stubborn. It was one of the many things he loved about her.

Hopefully, the opportunity would present itself soon enough. But one thing was for certain: now that he had Marinette in his sights and that both sides of him were in hers, there was no way that staying away from her for any length of time would be an option.

She would be his. And he couldn't wait.


	6. 16-18

**_16\. Ghosts_ **

Sleep did not exist that night. Not when memories and thoughts and feelings haunted her. The ghosts of two different boys each calling to her.

She had Adrien, the boy who she'd always believed she'd marry. The boy who could melt her with a smile. The boy who was so sweet and caring and innocent. The boy who was a bright spot in her life.

She'd made friends with him over time, the two not quite close but definitely more than acquaintances. And she knew they could be more with time. And courage.

But then… then there was Chat, sneaking up on her without her realizing it, just like the cat he was. The one who was a strong pillar beside her. The one who always had her back. Who somehow knew her inside and out.

And now, the man who could melt her with a kiss.

With a groan, she rolled over, shoving her face into her pillow and begging the ghosts to go away and let her sleep.

* * *

**_17\. Rooftop Save_ **

Chat was not leaving her room. Like, ever.

"Chat," she said, scratching behind his ears. "Are you ever going to let me go?"

"No," he grumbled against her stomach, where he had his face pressed. Currently, he was laying on top of her on her chaise lounge, his arms around her waist and head pressed into her stomach. Not ten minutes ago, he'd watched an akuma run a sword through her shoulder and nearly shove her off the roof.

He'd never been so terrified for her life.

"I'm okay," she whispered, continuing to pet his hair and ears.

"I'm not," he said. "I almost didn't save you."

"You did," she said. "And the miraculous cure cured everything. I'm fine, minou."

"I'm not," he repeated, squeezing her tight. "I almost lost you. I can't lose you, Marinette."

"You can't lose Ladybug," she teased.

He grunted in protest before unwrapping himself from her. He pushed himself up so his face was inches from hers. "I can't lose _you,_ " he quietly corrected, his voice firm enough to halt any arguments. " _You_ are my lady. _You_ are my friend. _You_ are my Marinette. _You_ are irreplaceable."

Her cheeks turned scarlet. "Kitty…"

He didn't give her a chance to answer. Instead, he settled his head on her shoulder and wrapped his arms around her torso, happily settling himself on top of her. "Mine," he mumbled.

She stiffened for a moment, but she quickly settled, wrapping her arms up around his shoulders and leaning her head down next to his. "My kitty," she whispered. She gave his shoulders a squeeze, and with that gesture, he felt secure and safe in her arms. "Thank you for everything."

"My Lady," he returned, giving her a squeeze and nuzzling her neck. "Anything for you."

* * *

**_18\. Balconies_ **

Balconies were the perfect place to plan picnics in Paris. Depending on the balcony, they could be secret, secluded, and offer fantastic views.

Chat was proud of this one. It was a perfect place to plan a reveal. He'd already taken the time to dress it up with candles and flowers. This was where he'd woo his lady to pieces and reveal himself to her, taking away all her troubles.

Looking over the place one last time, he decided it was perfectly up to standards before he headed off to grab Marinette. It would take some convincing to get her to come, but he was sure he could manage it.

And after fifteen minutes of coaxing, he did.

"You crazy cat," she said, looking over the decorated balcony with a fond smile.

"What can I say? I'm crazy in love with you."

Her smile turned pained in a second.

"Still having a hard time deciding?" he asked.

She bit her lip shyly, turning her head away from him. "Chat… I…"

He put a finger to his lips before she could remotely continue. "Bug, you don't have anything to explain to me," he said. "This is just me and you spending time together, okay?"

"This is you trying to woo me," she corrected.

He shrugged, unable to deny it. Not that he needed to try hard at all considering he was up against himself and he was going to try to reveal that tonight. That was the purpose.

She shook her head. "Chat I just—"

"Just stay a while, bug," he begged. "Please. It can be just me and you chatting. I just want to spend time with you. That's all."

She bit her lip, debating. "Okay," she relented. "I'll stay."

That was how they spent the next hour, bantering and chatting and eating the pastries he'd begged her to bring. And then there was a fleeting moment where Marinette came close to tease him, and Chat took it to grab her and pull her against his chest.

The expression in her face was her trying to be serious and failing. "Chat," she warned.

"Marinette," he said. "I need you to know that I did bring you up here with a motive."

"I knew it," she said, smile clear on her face. She relaxed against him. "What is it, kitty?"

"It's very very important," he said. "Critically, actually."

Her expression fell. "Whatever you need, Chat," she said, her tone serious. "You can tell me."

"Claws in," he whispered.

Magic crackled around him, and she instantly smacked her hands in front of her eyes. "Chat—"

"My lady," he said, reaching out to grab her wrists

She scurried away. "Chat, no."

"Marinette, please."

"Chat."

"Marinette."

"NO!" she shouted. "No. You can't show me right now. I don't want to know. I just… don't. I can't. Please. Stop making this hard on me."

Adrien's expression fell. He may not see her face, but he could tell she was close to tears. "Marinette. Please. Let me—"

"I told you no, you stupid cat! Why won't you listen to me?"

That was the final straw. He couldn't push her. She was crying and mad and utterly done with him.

He'd have to come up with another plan that wouldn't end in tears.

"Claws out."

Magic came back up around him, and only when he assured Marinette that he was fully super again, she dropped her hands from her face. "Tikki, spots on."

Magic shifted up around her, turning Marinette into Ladybug. "Don't ever do that again, you stupid cat." With that, she tossed her yo-yo out into the city and zipped off.

Leaving a thoroughly pissed cat in her wake. "Well, _that_ went well."


	7. 19-21

**_19\. Flowers_ **

Chat wasn't going to give up on trying to sneakily tell Marinette his identity, but he was temporarily putting it aside and doing damage control.

Hence why he was hauling a bouquet of flowers over to Marinette's house.

He knocked on the skylight and waited.

Nothing.

Again, he knocked.

Again, nothing.

He knocked a third time in five minutes, growing more worried by the moment that she'd lock him out. She had seemed angry enough last night.

Thankfully, she did answer. She wasn't wearing her usual grin, rather instead, a frown. "Are you going to try to convince me to let you reveal yourself?"

He shook his head. "I'm here to say sorry and these are for you."

She looked at the flowers a moment before looking back up at Chat.

"And…" he continued. "I want to ask, why are you so adamant about me not telling you who I am?"

She sighed, reaching out to stroke one of the petals of a rose. "Because, I just feel like if I know you then I'll feel like I'm more attached to you and that will muddy my decision."

He froze. "What if I told you it won't."

"It will. I know it," she said. "I want to be as fair as I can, and it's still tearing me up because I know you're waiting and then Adrien at school… I don't know, he's become more friendly with me lately and it's throwing me off and confusing me and—"

"Hey," Chat interrupted, giving her an apologetic smile. "Take a breath."

She did, her shoulders relaxing. "I'm sorry I'm being difficult and all."

"No, I'm the one who's sorry," he said, now knowing he really needed to back off a little bit. He just wanted to make her life easier, but it seems he was making it more complicated.

This was Marinette. Marinette who could make a hypothetical mess out of anything. This was Ladybug. Stubborn, independent Ladybug who thought through things thoroughly.

She was such a contradiction but so amazing, and Chat wouldn't have her any other way.

He extended the flowers. "Here."

Finally, she took them. "Thank you, Chat. They're beautiful."

"They're some of your favorites, right?" he asked, shooting her a smile before standing. "I guess I'll leave you to your thoughts now."

She frowned. "You're not staying?"

With a pained smile, he shook his head. "No. I won't bother you for now. I'll give you your space. See you later, my lady."

And with that, he was gone. It wasn't exactly how he wanted to be spending the day, but it was for the best.

* * *

**_20\. Pranks_ **

"You've really pulled your act together."

Chat looked over at Marinette. Together, they were sitting on a rooftop while Tikki was recharging. Their battle had been a close one and her timer had been screaming seconds after they finally got away from the paparazzi. Tikki had held on long enough for Marinette to hide behind a chimney. Now, Chat was staying by her side because a detransformed Marinette on a slanted rooftop made him a more nervous than he cared to admit.

"What do you mean?" he asked. "I've always had my act together."

"No," she said, reaching out to rest a hand on his shoulder. "No, not like that. Of course, you've always taken akuma fighting seriously, but… I mean… Ever since you found out I was Marinette, you've really… toned down your jester attitude. Like, you used to act like that one guy known for pulling pranks and cracking jokes and puns with every opportunity. But lately… it hasn't been like that."

His brow furrowed. "I…" he rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess I just… grew up a bit, you know? Like, Hawkmoth is getting worse. He's sending stronger akumas more frequently and I just…" he shrugged. "I don't feel like I can take things as lightly as I have been. This is serious business. And with you nearly falling off a building and getting hurt, I can't be that jester guy anymore. The stakes are too high. One wrong move and we're pancaked on the sidewalk with Hawkmoth doing a victory dance over our dead bodies."

Marinette's expression fell in sympathy.

"So, yeah. I haven't even noticed I stopped, to be honest. I just started taking everything more seriously."

Marinette sighed before reaching over to grab Chat's hand. "We'll get through this." She said, giving his hand a squeeze.

He gave her hand a squeeze back before pulling it up to his lips to press a kiss to her knuckles. "I know we will, bug. It just sucks in the meantime."

* * *

**_21\. Cold Night_ **

"Princess?"

Marinette groaned. Upon hearing the one voice she did _not_ want to hear.

"What are you doing out on such a cold night?"

"Thinking," she simply answered. "And it's not _that_ cold." She was wrapped in a blanket, curled into a ball on her chair on her balcony.

"It _is_ that cold. And what are you thinking about?"

"You and Adrien." Particularly how both of them were twice as distant lately and how much it hurt.

He sighed, but then appeared from behind her and picked her up from her chair.

She squealed. "What are you doing?"

He didn't answer and instead plopped down in her seat and held her in his lap against her chest. "You're going to make yourself sick, Marinette," he said. "If not from the cold of the night, then worrying so much over Adrien and I."

She frowned. "I just… it's so confusing."

"If you have to chose now, who'd you pick?"

"Huh?"

"Yeah. If you have to chose now, who'd you pick?"

She felt her face heat up as her heart picked up its pace. "I don't know."

"Okay, you have ten seconds to answer," he said. "Or I will assault you with tickles until you scream for mercy."

Her face flamed. And considering his smug expression, he wasn't kidding around.

"Condition: You never get to see the other again. If you had to pick one of us between of me or Adrien, who'd you pick?"

Her heart went double time. "Wait—"

"Ten," he began. "Nine."

"No! Not fair!"

"Eight… seven…"

She froze. Never see the other again. Could she live without both boys? Could she live with only one?

"Five…"

She'd never see Adrien's smile or his model photos. She'd never have a life with him.

"Three… two…"

She'd never be with her partner again.

"One—"

"You!"

He stiffened out of shock, but slowly, relaxed into a warm smile that chased off the cold night.

"I…" She swallowed. "If… I can't see one or the other," she said. "I… I can't…" She reached out to put a hand on his shoulder. "I need you."

Slowly, his embrace tightened until she was fully cuddled against his chest. "There's your answer."

"You're only saying that because you're the winner," she grumbled.

"You said yourself, princess," he purred. "You need me."

She wanted to curl into a mortified little ball somewhere _not_ in his arms. "You don't have to be so smug about it."

"Why wouldn't I be? When I get the most incredible woman in the world admitting she needs me? That's enough to boost any man's ego."

She didn't say anything.

"So," he said. "Now that that's out of the way, you can go back inside and curl up in your warm room instead of out here in the cold night, and get some sleep."

As much as she wanted to argue that she wasn't tired, she couldn't. "Fine," she relented.

He hummed, then leaned forward to press a kiss to her forehead before letting her scramble from his lap. He stood up once he was able to, and hugged her from behind. "Good night, my bugaboo," he said, his voice soft and warm and sweet. "Sleep well, and don't fret over it. Settle into your decision, and don't let it tear you up. Okay?"

She leaned back into him, turning so her forehead brushed against his chin. "I'll try."

"I'll take it." He pressed one more kiss into her hair before slipping away. "Good night, bug."

"Good night, Kitty."

With one last salute, he leapt from her balcony and out into the night.

From there, she slipped into her room, only then realizing just how cold it had been outside even despite her blanket.

"What do you think of what Chat said?" Tikki asked, appearing out of nowhere.

Marinette spun to look at her kwami. "Were you listening?"

She nodded. "To be fair, I've been a little worried about you since you started obsessing between Chat and Adrien. It's not healthy. But what Chat said, making you choose quick between the two… what do you think about that?"

Marinette turned away, her vision soon drifting away as she got lost in her thoughts. If she had to leave one behind…

She would have to chose Adrien. Leaving Chat just wasn't an option. She couldn't. Not when she needed him as her partner. Not when she craved him as her support. As the guy who was always there, ready to cheer her up, even before he knew her name.

She'd have to leave behind Adrien, even though she didn't want to. Thankfully, she didn't have to, but she _did_ have to make a choice.

"I think… I think he was right, forcing me to choose like that."

"And are you happy with your choice?"

She thought about what Chat had told her about what he wanted for a future, and even though it hurt, she started taking Adrien out of her dreams and started putting Chat in his place. Would things change that much? Now that she thought about it, there were a lot of similarities between Adrien and Chat. The biggest difference was how unrestrained Chat was. How much more often he smiled and joked and punned.

Oh, the puns.

But the image of seeing Chat playing with kids that were their own…

She could live with the puns.

"Yeah, Tikki," she finally answered. "I think I am."


	8. 22-24

**_22\. Sick_ **

"Chat's been a little off as of lately," Alya commented from across the table at the café they were hanging out at. "Haven't you noticed?"

"No," Marinette said. "But something tells me you're going to explain your reasoning."

As suspected, Alya turned her phone around for Marinette to see. "Look, he's constantly looking at Ladybug, like, all the time. More than normal. But he's toned down his flirting. He's like… not lovesick for her anymore and more… protective? Observant?"

Marinette bit back her smirk. Chat was _plenty_ lovesick for Ladybug, but she couldn't say a word without launching an inquisition. "I think you're overthinking it, Alya."

Alya frowned, staring at her phone. "Maybe, but I swear, something's up with Chat. I'm going to find his secret."

Marinette silently prayed that Alya never would. Not even because of Hawkmoth. Oh no. It was because Marinette knew that if Alya ever did, Marinette would _never_ hear the end of it.

* * *

**_23\. Pillows and Blankets_ **

"I want to take you out on an official date."

Those had been the words that caused Marinette's jaw to hit the floor. "What?"

Chat nodded. "You're my girlfriend, bugaboo. Let me take you out on a date. Somewhere, anywhere. I don't care. Just… let me have a date with you."

Her cheeks flared, resulting in a muddled, stuttering Marinette. "Girlfriend," she'd finally gotten out.

Chat gave an awkward half smile. "Well… yeah, I mean…" His cat ears quickly fell in worry. "Right?"

The ball was in her court and she was staring at it like she'd never seen it before. "Well," she began. "I mean… yeah. Yeah, of course. I… I don't know why you wouldn't be at this point, you know…" _Since I basically told you I wanted you._

Chat grinned, his posture relaxing as though a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. "Good. Good, I'm glad."

She nodded, something giddy bubbling up inside her, too.

"So," he continued, going back to nervousness. "Date?"

Why either one of them was as nervous as they were, Marinette had zero idea. They were both so strung up, like they hadn't been flirty before or in compromising positions before or haven't known each other for years.

This felt new in its entirety.

Which was why Marinette recommended the most simple thing she could think of.

"Movie in a blanket fort?"

Fast forward two days, and Marinette and Chat Noir were putting the finishing touches on the blanket fort they were building in Marinette's room.

"I think it looks good."

"Yeah. Same."

They crawled inside, Chat grabbing the bag of take-out he had picked-up on his way here. It was just a couple pasta dishes, but Marinette could say they smelled delicious.

They started the movie sitting side by side as they ate their dinner, happily chatting through a couple scenes and swapping bites of their meal.

Once the dinner was finished, Chat sprawled out on his stomach. Marinette followed suit, but instead, laid on Chat's back. "Is this uncomfortable?" she asked, her chin on his shoulder.

"No," he said. "You're pretty light."

With a grin, she settled on him, making herself comfortable. It wasn't until toward the end of the movie that she slid off Chat and maneuvered herself next to him. He was eager to shift an arm over her, now putting his chin on her shoulder.

Marinette grinned.

When the credits rolled, Chat hummed his approval. "Best date ever."

"Yeah," she agreed, plenty happy with her position. If she could, she'd curl up against his warmth and fall asleep. "Totally."

He shifted so he could press a kiss to her hair. "Yeah. But if I were being honest, I'd say that about any date with you."

She blushed. "Stop it."

"I'm serious," he said, his smile proving his words true. "Because I just like spending time with you. Period."

She felt shy all of a sudden. "I like spending time with you, too."

He grinned. "But," he started, that grin growing wider and more cattish. "I have to know… since this date is nearly over… will it end with a kiss?"

A kiss. Marinette hadn't really thought about it, but now that he said it, she wasn't opposed to the idea. Before she knew it, before she could think to respond, she was shifting closer to him, angling her head so she could be able to press her lips to his. She was mere inches away from his face when he shifted, moving in the rest of the way to press his lips on hers.

Their movements were tentative, trying. It wasn't easy, with both of them laying side by side on their stomachs, using their elbows to move into a somewhat comfortable position, and they gave up after a couple pecks.

Not that that didn't completely ruin her forever. This was her boyfriend and future husband she was kissing. And he was a good kisser, particularly for being in such an awkward position.

"Wow," he whispered.

"Yeah," she agreed, just as quietly.

"Just… wow."

Marinette giggled shyly.

Eventually, they were able to move, meaning Chat got up and offered to help put away the blanket fort, which Marinette quickly dismissed.

"It's fine," she said. "It will be easy to put away. Thank you for the food."

"Thank you for tonight," he returned. "Can we do this again?"

With a smile, Marinette nodded eagerly.

"Good," he said. "Great."

And that's how they found themselves standing chest to chest, Chat staring at her lips while she was staring at his. Chat was the one that started leaning in this time, his lips aiming for hers.

That's not to say she didn't meet him in the middle.

Two, three, four kisses later, Chat pulled away. "I…" he said, his chest heaving despite their kisses being fairly tame. "I should go."

"Oh… Okay."

"Good night, Princess."

"Good night, mon minou."

Yet neither moved. Neither dropped the other's hand. Neither took a step away.

Until they both moved closer to share another kiss.

And another after that.

And yet another.

* * *

**_24\. Nap Lap_ **

Last year, had you told Marinette that having her boyfriend nap in her lap would become her new favorite thing, she probably would have spontaneously combusted at the image of Adrien having his head in her lap.

Now, she smiled fondly at the exhausted pile of kitty superhero sprawled out over her legs and on her lap.

She reached down to stroke the surprisingly soft ears pinned on Chat's head. He'd always settle a little deeper into her lap at that, a smile growing across his face. But then she'd have to get the purrs going. Because the purring was her favorite part.

It took two weeks to know exactly how to start them up. But she found the secret formula.

First, is started with ear rubs. Ear rubs got him very relaxed and smiling in his sleep. Then, she had to run her hands through his hair, just for a little bit. That turned him to putty, easing out the tension from the rest of his body. And then the final touch would be to run her nails up and down his shoulders and by the third round of scratches, he was purring like crazy.

Her personal chainsaw, she referred to it as. He was loud as one, but it was soothing. She loved it.

She supposed it was just one of the many perks of having a superhero as a boyfriend.


	9. 25-28

**_25\. Puss and Boots_ **

He shouldn't let the words of others get to him. He really shouldn't. But here he was, letting those nasty words and haunting thoughts get under his skin.

"Princess," he said, looking up at her from his position on his stomach on her chaise. "I'm your knight in shining armor, aren't I?"

She scoffed, not looking up from her project. "More like a Puss in Boots."

He frowned but immediately covered it up with a smile. "Ouch, princess. That one stings."

Apparently, he couldn't keep the hurt from his voice, though, because Marinette put down her project and looked at him. "What's the matter, Chat?"

He sighed, letting his chin fall on top his hands. "I'm just being stupid. That's all."

"How are you being more stupid than normal?" she asked, setting the project completely aside.

"I'm believing the people that say I'm not helpful to Ladybug."

She scoffed, then stood from her seat to walk over to him. "You're right. You are being stupid."

He felt her weight on his back as she laid over top of him, her arms wrapping around his neck best she could as she propped her chin on his shoulder. "You know you're the most important thing to me, right? As both my partner I can't live without and my boyfriend that I love and adore." Her hand then moved, slowly slipping beneath him so that her hand rested over his where his heart would be. "You _are_ valuable to me. And anyone who suspects otherwise is an idiot."

He smiled, feeling the warmth radiate from her palm on his chest. He reached up to cradle her cheek, holding her there long enough for him to be able to nuzzle against her head.

"I'm not kidding when I called you my Puss in Boots, though," she said. "Some brave, fearless, swashbuckling, flirty cat. Yeah. That sounds about right. He was pretty cute, too."

He chuckled. "Thank you, ma princesse."

She blushed whenever he called her that. "Stop it, you stupid cat."

He'd believe she meant that when she wasn't cuddling him or hiding her face in his hair.

* * *

**_26\. Fencing + 27. Protecting You_ **

No normal girl should get this excited over a knock at her skylight.

But Marinette supposed she was no normal girl.

"Chat," she said, looking up at the young man in black leather sitting cross-legged by her skylight in wait.

"Hey, bugaboo," he returned with a grin. "I actually can't stay long, but I kinda couldn't wait to ask you."

"Ask me what?"

"If you were free Saturday."

She grinned at the prospect of a date. Even if she wasn't, she'd rearrange her schedule for it. But then she recalled that she and Alya and Nino had made plans already and she couldn't back out. "Like, Saturday night?" she asked hopefully.

"All day."

She frowned. "No, I'm not. Why?"

His ears and smile fell, life draining from his eyes. "Oh. I… I wanted to invite you somewhere. That's all."

She groaned. "I'm so sorry, kitty. But Alya, Nino, and I already made plans last week to go watch Adrien at his fencing tournament since it's a thousand percent likely that his dad is going to back out and he's always really upset that no one is there to support him."

Chat blinked a few times, his ears perking right back up. "Fencing tournament?"

She nodded. "I'm sorry, kitty, but I can't back out on this one. Not when I have other people counting on me."

"No!" he cried. "No, it's not… not that. It's that… I actually wanted to invite you to that fencing tournament."

She blinked a few times. "What?"

He nodded. "Yeah. I'll… I'll be fencing in it, too."

"You fence?" The moment those words left her mouth, she realized she shouldn't be surprised. She'd watched his fighting style for years and knew enough about the sport to know that he did often look like he was wielding a sword.

He nodded. "Yeah. But… You'll already be at the tournament, it seems."

She nodded. "I will be. I will be rooting for Adrien, but…" She reached out to grab Chat's hand. "But now, I'll be rooting for you, too."

His smile widened. With his free hand, he cupped the back of Marinette's head, pulling her closer so that she was touching his forehead. She hummed happily.

"So," he began in a whisper. "Does this mean you'll finally let me tell you who I am?"

She froze, realizing that she really didn't have any more excuses to keep Chat from revealing himself to her. This was it. This was the moment that all remaining secrets were dropped.

At her lack of answer, he pulled away. "What's the matter, princess?"

She forced a smile and shrugged. "I don't know," she admitted. "I really… I don't know. There's no reason to withhold it anymore yet… this is going to sound stupid, but I'm nervous."

He cocked his head, his lip twitching up in amusement. "What's there to be scared of?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. I just am."

When he smiled, it was a gentle, loving grin. He unzipped his pocket and pulled out something. "For you," he said, opening his hand to reveal a key on a necklace. He grabbed the chain and dropped it over her head. "This is the key to my heart, okay? Wear it to the tournament, under your shirt so no one else will comment on it. Come early so I can find you, okay? And you'll know it's me because I'll be the one to comment, okay? That way you'll know just who to root for."

She looked down at the key in her hands, one that was on a chain around her neck. "This is the key that you wore for the Adrien contest, isn't it?"

He shrugged. "What does it matter. It's the key to my heart, now. I know you'll protect it, just like you know I protect the key to yours."

Her cheeks lit on fire. "I do know."

With a grin that was unabashedly happy, Chat took her hands in his, curling her fingers around the key before pressing a kiss to her hand. "I trust you more than anyone, Marinette," he said, whispering her name so reverently that she felt like she just might faint. "I trust you to protect that for me."

With that, he stood. "But for now, I have another commitment. I'll see you soon."

She grinned, feeling warm to the core. "I'll see you soon, mon chaton."

One last salute, and he was gone, vaulting over the city to who-knew-where. Leaving one very happy princess with a key on a chain that landed right beside her heart. She'd protect her kitty's heart, and she'd happily spend the rest of life proving that to him.

* * *

**_28\. Secrets_ **

Marinette stood nervously in one of the hallways of the tournament building. The occasional contestant was passing her on their way to get to the lockers. Two people asked if she was lost, at which point she just smiled and said she was waiting for someone.

Who, though, was the question.

Not for the first time, her nerves spiked, ruining the semblance of calmness she was holding onto. It took a good moment to talk herself down from the cliff each time.

"My lady."

Marinette froze, not daring to turn around and face the voice behind her.

"Marinette," Chat said again.

She could feel him right behind her. And then, she could see him when he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her close.

Her eyes closed automatically, though she did see his white fencing uniform over his arms. Next thing she knew, her back was flush against his chest, his chin resting on top of her head.

He was tall enough to do that, stupid cat.

"You came," he said.

"I did," she said.

"And…" He took his chin off her head. "I see the chain on your neck."

"Of course," she said.

"So," he said, stepping away from her. "Why are your eyes still closed?"

She blushed, her lips pursing in embarrassment.

She gasped at the sudden feeling of his fingers brushing her collarbone. Only to grab the necklace, she eventually realized, pulling the key from its spot hidden under her shirt. "Don't you want to see the man who hold the key to your heart?"

She did. She knew she did. That was why she came early. She came to see him. To learn who the man who knew about that key was. She only had to open her eyes.

After a steadying breath, she cracked one eye open, only for her other to fly open and her jaw to drop.

Because standing there with a smile, holding the golden key…

Was Adrien Agreste.

"Hey," he said.

"H-hey," she responded, her voice barely strong enough to be heard.

He was quiet for a few seconds before asking, "Are you okay… knowing it's me?"

No. No, she wasn't. She was going to die on the spot because here was her kitty: the boy she'd fallen in love with years ago and forced herself to give up for the man who was now standing before her.

She was so confused.

And considering his expression fell, her inner turmoil must have been obvious. "Marinette?"

That snapped her from her thoughts. "Huh?"

"Are you okay?"

"No," she blurted. "No. I'm freaking out."

He gave a pained half smile. "I'm sorry. Is it too much?"

"Yes!" she squeaked. "My head is going to explode because I just…" She took a breath. "It's you. You're my Chat. You made me give up you for you. You were an idiot and put the key around your own neck for that stupid contest, which now makes me realize, you're a total cheater. How dare you. I can't—"

Adrien was suddenly laughing. "Oh, Marinette," he said, scooping her up in his arms and holding her against his chest. "I tried to tell you."

He did, she realized. Many times. She buried her head into his shoulder and let loose a groan. "I'm such an idiot!"

He chuckled again. "No, you're not. You're just My Marinette with all her weird quirks."

With that, he pulled back enough to be able to press a kiss to her forehead. "You know I love all those little quirks, right?"

She just groaned.

He pulled her in again, holding her tight. "As much as I want to stay right here," he said. "I should be with my team right now. Sorry to leave you."

Reluctantly, she forced herself out of her hiding spot against him. "I understand. Go be with your team."

"Thank you for coming today," he said. "You and Alya and Nino."

She grimaced. "I can't believe I ruined the surprise."

"Honestly," he said. "Knowing that you three, particularly you, would be here in the stands today has already pumped me up more than you can imagine. Thank you, all three of you, for coming. It means the world. If I win today, it's all because of you."

She felt a new burst of warmth shoot through her. "Then go win for us, okay?"

"I'll do my best. But there might be one thing that makes me do better."

Her brow furrowed. "And what's that?"

"A kiss?" he asked, tapping his cheek. "Right here."

Marinette watched as someone passed by, waiting for them to disappear down the other end of the hallway before conceding. "All right," she said, reaching up to cradle his jaw and press a kiss to his cheek.

"And if you win the tournament," she said, somehow finding the courage to tap his lips. "I'll give you all the kisses you want."

Slowly, that signature, lopsided Chat Noir grin spread across his face. "Then I look forward to it, my lady."


	10. 29-31

**_29\. Werecat_ **

Adrien didn't demand kisses right after he won the tournament. Ever since Adrien got the gold medal presented to him, Marinette had been thinking of ways to break to Alya and Nino that they were dating. Thankfully, he'd been merciful on her. When they met up, he hugged her close and whispered in her ear, "Not with Alya and Nino. Wait for me tonight, ma princesse."

While relieved that she wouldn't have any explaining to do, she had to fight the wicked blush that always appeared when he called her by that possessive nickname.

Considering no one commented, she must have succeeded.

Now, the night was approaching, and Marinette was nervous about just what would happen tonight because she knew her Chat well enough to know that he was not about to let the possibility of kisses from her slip through his fingertips. And just what he might do to tease or harass her beforehand might just be the end of her.

Something landed on her roof with a _thunk_ , alerting her to his presence. She begged her racing heart to steady, because she knew this was… well…

She knew she didn't know what would happen tonight.

Bracing herself, she opened the hatch just as he yowled into the night.

"Chat!" she whisper-screeched, rushing to cover his mouth. She stared at him with wide-eyed shock as he reclined in her balcony chair looking too smug for his own good. "What are you doing?" she hissed.

He carefully pried the hand from his mouth. "Princess. How _furr_ -tuneate that you've appeared. For you see, the light of the full moon has turned me into a werecat, and the spell can only be broken by a kiss of true love."

Slowly, the gears in her mind started turning, processing what he'd just said. Her expression fell, and his expression grew even more amused.

She scoffed, turning back to the hatch. "Denied."

"P-princess!" he called, quickly shooting out of his seat to rush after her. "I'm sorry."

"No, you're not."

He paused. "True. I'm not. But come on, I was just having a little fun."

She sighed, turning back to face him. "How did I fall for you?" she asked.

His grin returned. "I kinda keep asking myself the same question, honestly. It feels too good to be true."

At seeing the earnestness in his expression, she couldn't help but surrender her cold front. "You don't think I'm now asking myself the same question? Because I have you as Chat and Adrien. I literally get the best of both guys… and the worst."

"Hey!"

"But it's worth it," she finished with a growing grin. "For you, it will always be."

His defensiveness disappeared as he swept Marinette off the ground, pressing her up against his chest.

She squealed in surprise, but then giggled as Chat spun her in a circle before letting her slowly slip down to the ground again.

"I love you," he said. "You have to know that. I really love you."

Her heart was fluttering wildly, yet the only thing she could think to say was "I love you, too."

His grin was unabashedly joyful, and he soon swooped her up again and held on tight.

She relegated herself to just being in Chat's arms. There was no escape for her at this point. Which, she was surprisingly fine with.

"Are we going to stay out all night?" she asked him. "Or are you coming inside?"

He didn't put her down as he jumped down into her room. She giggled all the way, until he laid her down on the bed, him hovering over her.

"Plagg, claws in." In a flash of green, Adrien Agreste replaced the black-clad superhero. "Now," he said, shifting his weight to one arm so her could stroke her cheek with the other. "I believe that I was promised a kiss if I won the tournament. And I would very much love to cash in such a wonderful prize."

Warmth seeped through her chest, up her neck to her face and down to her toes. "I… I did promise that, didn't I?" she asked, her voice weak and breathing rapid.

He nodded. "But only if you're comfortable in giving it."

A new wave of heat washed over her. The mention of her comfort, their position of her underneath him… on her bed, no less… "What did you have in mind?"

"Kisses," he said, leaning closer to her. "Lots of kisses."

"That's it?"

His expression scrunched in confusion. "What's the matter? Something wrong?"

She bit her lip nervously. "I… just thought, between our position here… on the bed… I don't want to go too far."

His brow furrowed deeper in confusion before understanding dawned on him. "Princess, no," he said. "No. I… we're not ready for anything more than kisses at this point. No, just… no."

She felt herself take a breath of relief.

"I'm sorry if I did anything that made you think that. I just want kisses and cuddles from you. One day, yes, I'd love to go that far, with you and only you, but I'm thinking that we're out of high school and far deeper in our relationship before that happens. Preferably, I'd like that to happen after I see you in a white dress and slide a ring on your finger and give you my last name."

Her heart was racing at the thought. It lingered on her dream of marrying him in a small ceremony surrounded by only their closest friends, but then her mind wondered to just what the wedding night might be like, and she had to force those thoughts to come to a screeching halt before she passed out by the amount of blood rushing to her face.

"Trust me, Marinette," he said, his tone reverent. "I don't ever want to make you do something you aren't comfortable with."

After her heart slowly calmed its rapid pace, she reached up to wrap her arms around Adrien's neck. "I do trust you," she said. "I just… overreacted. I'm sorry."

"No," he assured, stroking her cheek again. "No, if you are concerned over something, particularly like that, then please tell me. Because that is important."

His embrace became more like a safe space with every passing moment. "Okay," she answered. "Okay."

He grinned, his thumb brushing over her lips. "Are you okay with me kissing you, now?" he asked.

She returned his smile. "Yes," she said. "I believe the best boyfriend in the world deserves it."

"'Best boyfriend in the world' huh?" he asked, his lips getting closer to hers. "I like the sound of that."

* * *

**_30\. Prey/Hunt_ **

Heaven help her, ever since she'd discovered Chat's identity, she was much more uneasy around Adrien.

It was all his fault, really. In Marinette's mind, she would have thought that it was common sense that if you wanted a person to approach you, you didn't stare at them like they were your prey.

Because with all the looks Adrien had snuck at her the last few days, she sure felt hunted.

"Okay," Alya said. "That was the third sultry look in as many days. What's happening between you and Adrien?"

Adrien was doing a pretty good job considering Alya only caught three of the many looks Adrien had sent her in the last week. "Who said anything was going on?"

Alya's glare said there was no telling her otherwise. "Because I have to know if the looks Adrien has been sending you has anything to do with the mark on your shoulder that I've been dying to ask about since this morning."

Marinette turned beet red and instantly covered where she knew that mark to be. Things may have gotten a little more heated than anticipated last night. It had started as a conversation over their hypothetical—er, _future_ wedding and what their future together would look like, and next thing they knew, they were in a heated make-out that left a mark on her collarbone.

Scary thing was she honestly couldn't be too angry at the cat.

So… she supposed it was only fair that Alya was told that her best friend was already planning her wedding. Otherwise, there'd be hell to pay. "Okay, you caught us. Adrien and I have… been dating for… a little while."

Alya's jaw dropped. "And you didn't think to _tell_ me?" she challenged.

Marinette cringed. "I'm sorry. I was kinda freaking out about it, and it happened so quickly and—"

"How long?"

Marinette froze. "What?"

"How long have you two been together?"

Marinette steeled herself for the reaction. "A little after I won that 'get a date with Adrien' contest."

Alya pursed her lips. "Okay, so about a month and a half."

"More like a month, to be honest," Marinette corrected. "Barely."

"Better, but I'm still pissed at you."

"I'm sorry," Marinette said. "Really, I am. But everything was so new and things were going so well and we just… we wanted to keep it secret for a while before everything blew up over the fact we were dating, you know?"

Alya still didn't look happy, but she didn't look quite a severe as before. "Fine. I get it. But just how much longer were you planning to keep that a secret?"

"Honestly, Adrien and I were discussing ways to break it to you last night." And that was the truth. Among other things, one of the things they were talking about was how to ask Nino and Alya to be their Best Man and Maid of Honor… until they realized that the two people didn't even know of any relationship between them.

Alya quirked a brow. "Really, because that mark on your shoulder suggests you two were discussing _other_ things."

Marinette turned beet red again. "Alya!"

* * *

**_31\. Supernatural Creatures_ **

"I can feel you staring, Chat."

"How can I not?" he easily replied, not taking his eyes off the woman in red before him as she stared out at the Parisian night. "I have a fantastic view."

That got her to turn around and shoot a look at him. However, the hint of a smile proved just how much she meant it.

He grinned. "Well, while I have the attention of the most incredible woman in the world—"

"Flatterer."

"Hush. I only tell the truth. But, I actually have a very important question to ask of you."

Ladybug turned around, looking at him with a smile and a raised brow. "And that is?"

"Do you want me to propose as Adrien or Chat?"

Her brow furrowed. "What?"

With a grin, he pulled out a ring from his pocket while he got down on one knee. "My lady, we're both about to start university soon. It has been months since we started dating, and while yes, we may be young and it may be fast, I honestly believe that we're ready to take this next step."

She stood frozen. "Chat…"

His grin widened. "What do you say, Marinette?" he asked. "Because I'm still blown away that I have this beautiful, stunning, creative, intelligent, downright supernatural woman as my girlfriend. But honestly, I'm much more excited to have you as my wife and to start up a life with you."

Slowly, her smile grew wide. "Yes," she answered. "Yes, I'll marry you."

His heart felt like it was flying at the moment, leaving him bubbly and weightless as he stood and approached her so as to slide the ring on her finger. "I love you, my bugaboo," he said, cradling her cheeks in his hands and staring down into her glassy eyes warbling with unshed tears.

Honestly, his own vision was growing a little blurry, too.

"I love you, too," she said, leaning closer, her lips aiming for his. "I love you so much, my Adrien."

* * *

The next day's headline would read "Confirmed! Chat Noir and Ladybug in relationship."

Chat found it amazing, and Marinette… well, if her cat was happy, so was she.


End file.
